Family Ties
by kressn
Summary: A little story that picks up where Mac sees the image of Matty on the makeshift screen; after he is home from the hospital but still suffering the effects of the day. Of course Pap Jack is there and comes to the rescue.


**Family Ties**

 ** _This picks up after Mac sees the film with Matty's image on it overlapping him and his father out in the back yard working on an airplane model. Mac was home from the hospital, still not feeling 100%, and seeing those images was not going to help._**

Mac ran over to the makeshift projector as he realized the film was actually on fire, trying for in vain to save it. He had just gotten home from Phoenix Medical, Jack had left to get some Chinese takeout, probably more to allow Mac to view the film in private than out of a desire to eat Chinese food; Mac was appreciative and surprised Jack had actually left him alone as it was, so he took the opportunity to build the projector and watch the film that Jill was able to salvage from the reel he had found under the floor boards of his father's cabin.

As he sat there, after he realized the film was effectively toast, staring at the white sheet he had used as a makeshift screen, trying to ignore the throbbing of his leg which was keeping time with the throbbing in his head, he was very confused; why the hell would a younger Matty be present 15 years ago, in his back yard, watching them? No matter how he tried to decipher it, it just wasn't making any sense to him. He sighed and rubbed a hand across his face in frustration; what the hell is going on? He was tired of the whole cloak and dagger crap that seems like to darken his path to his father. He wanted answers, clear ones, and he wanted them now!

He swore and stood, poised to clean up the mess from his movie-watching endeavor before Jack returned; unfortunately his muscles decided that exact time would be perfect for a major spasm (the doctor did warn him) and he yelled in agony as he landed on his knees on top of the deck; knocking down the table where the projector sat on his way down when he instinctively reached out to grab on to something as he felt his body fall. The Universe was also evidently in cahoots with his body, for it was that exact moment that Jack walked through the front door bellowing his name.

Mac swore again, his head was pounding, his legs were both throbbing and the wound on his right leg was also chiming in along with his back joining the symphony of aches and pains his body was currently playing, and now that Jack was back he would be subjected to Papa Jack, life was just not fair sometimes…

Might as well get on with it he thought as he yelled "Out here!" In response to Jack's "Where are you?"

Jack left shortly after taking Mac home from the hospital to pick up food, he really did not like the idea of leaving the kid alone so soon after the whole deadly nerve gas exposure incident; the doctor had told them that Mac would experience some symptoms for a few days, possibly shortness of breath, muscle spasms, headaches, dizziness, anxiety, fatigue, blurry vision (so no driving for a week at least); normally just one of those symptoms being possible would mean Jack would have attached himself to the kid's hip for the duration, but he knew that Mac had that damn film to watch, and he wanted to allow him some time to process whatever was on it alone; trusting Mac would tell him about it when he was ready.

He pulled onto Mac's driveway, behind the kid's jeep, might as well make sure Mac did not get any ideas about driving, not that he couldn't hot wire his car in seconds; but he doubted Mac would mess with his baby. He grabbed the bags of food and let himself in, as usual, yelling for the kid, figured he would let the Mac have some warning he was back.

He stopped to drop the bags of food down on the kitchen counter and listened for his friend. He turned towards the deck when he heard a weak "out here!" coming from outside, he swore and started outside at a run. When he stepped onto the deck he spotted his friend on his knees, holding his head in his hands, visibly shaking. "Damn it Mac! I leave you for 10 minutes kiddo!" he said as he knelt down beside him. Mac had not reacted to his presence, so Jack's worry meter went through the roof. He put his hands on the Mac's hands, slowly prying them away from the his head so he could see Mac's eyes and gage what level of medical issues he was dealing with here. He ducked his head down to meet the kid's eyes, which were closed and softly said "Mac, kiddo, what's going on? " You with me?"

Mac felt Jack's hands on his and then felt him pull his hands away from his throbbing head, Mac kept his eyes closed trying to keep the room spinning thing under control. He could hear Jack asking him what was going on? He knew if he didn't answer him, he would be back at Phoenix Medical before he could even register the change in location, so he took a breath and slowly opened his eyes to look at Jack. "I'm OK" he said, _it was worth a shot_ , "just give me a minute" he said.

"Brother, you are so far from OK it might as well be in a Galaxy far,far, away" Mac blinked at his friend's insistence in using Star Wars in general conversation. Jack continued without missing a beat, "What hurts kid?" Jack asked, looking right at him. Mac sighed, "everything" he answered honestly, might as well he figured, it wasn't like Jack was going to let him get away with another "I'm fine".

When Mac said everything hurt, Jack was surprised; normally getting his boy to admit to pain of any kind was like asking Congress to agree on something in 5 minutes or less. At his friend's unusual admission, Jack's hand hovered over his cell phone, seriously considering calling a Med Team back to the house, and hauling Mac back to the hospital, but something in the kid's eyes stopped him, besides the pain, there was a sadness there that was not present before he left to get food, so Jack figured it had to do with Mac's film. He did not want to force Mac back to medical and risk him being pissed at him enough to not let him in on what was on the film, and maybe go off half-cocked on another solo mission tracking his dad; especially since Murdoc was still out there somewhere. "OK bud, let's get you off the floor and back inside first" He stood up and at the same time placed his hands under the kid's armpits and lifted so that Mac and him came up in tandem, holding on to the blonde as his knees refused to hold him up, eliciting a groan from his friend, "Easy…breathe Mac, nice and slow, I've got you!" while basically holding him upright.

Mac felt the pull of Jack's hands upward and suddenly he was standing, sort of, his legs did not like the idea of holding him up and if it wasn't for Jack he would have came crashing back down to the ground. His head was spinning and so was the room, the pain in his throbbing head went from a 6 to a 23 in seconds and suddenly he realized his stomach was joining in on the fun as he pushed himself away from Jack's grip just in time to empty his stomach content off the deck's railing. God he hated it when his body refused to behave and assaulted him from several fronts at once.

Jack felt Mac push away from him suddenly and on shaky legs barely make it to the railing where he then threw up. Not a good sign Jack thought as he made it back beside Mac, rubbing circles on his back in a comforting way and gripping one of Mac's arms with the other hand, waiting for the nausea to abate. Once it was apparent he was done trying to rid his body of his to stomach lining, he gently turned him so he was facing him and leaning against the railing.

"That sucked!" Mac said, closing his eyes and taking a breath. "I bet!" Jack nodded. "Let's get you inside kiddo; can you walk?" Jack asked ready and willing to carry his young friend if necessary. Mac nodded slowly and allowed Jack to warp one of his arms around his shoulder and wrap the other around his waist. They then began the slow process towards his living room.

After getting Mac inside the house, Mac started in the direction of his couch, but Jack had other ideas; "I don't think so bud, you're going to bed" he told the blonde and gently turned him towards his room.

Mac was almost at his couch, already exhausted from walking in from his deck, actually looking forward to sitting down, even if then he would be subjected to Jack's mother-hen mode, but evidently that was not what the older man had in mind and turned him towards his room. Mac however had a problem, there was just no more fuel in his tank, there was no way he could make it to his room on his own legs; as much as he hated doing it, he stopped short and turned to his ad-hoc father with a look that spoke volumes. "I've got you kiddo" was all Jack said as he lowered the arm he had around Mac's waist to reach his knees and lifted the boy in his arms, careful with Mac's knife wound, he then softly jostled the blond to a more comfortable position and carried him the rest of the way.

Jack was getting worried, the kid was actually moving very slowly, more slowly than Jack expected; it was obvious the boy's energy reserves were dwindling quickly, so when Mac was obviously heading to the couch, Jack made the decision that Mac needed to lie down on his bed, not a couch, so he told him not the couch and that he was being put to bed and turned them towards Mac's room; suddenly Mac stopped their progress and turned to look at him; even though Mac didn't say anything, there was no need, Jack knew what he needed to do; he changed his grip on Mac's body so he could lift his friend into his arms and then proceeded to carry him the rest of the way to his bed.

Once he slowly and carefully deposited his kid, "helicopter-parent"his ass, on the bed, he went about the business of taking the kid's shoes off, then moved on to his belt and unbuttoned the boy's shirt; Mac just laid there, listless and silent.

Mac was so tired; the bed under him felt like heaven; he just couldn't get his body to move, or himself to care as he felt Jack begin to effectively undress him. It always amazed Mac how tender and loving Jack, a trained Delta Commando, a man that can kill an opponent a hundred ways without breaking a sweat, and shoot a moving target the size of a fly a thousand yards away, could be when tending to him when he was injured.

It was a weird tie they shared, a tie only family shares, that allowed them both to be 100% real around each other; a tie that allowed Mac to let himself be taken care of without any fear of shame or repercussions.

Once Jack had finished undressing him down to his boxers and t-shirt; Mac felt a warm blanket being wrapped around him, enveloping him in a warm and fuzzy cocoon, he then felt the back of Jack's hand on his forehead checking for a fever. He heard the older man say "get some sleep kid, I will be here when you wake up and we can talk about what happened and what was on that film. Mac nodded and let himself drift off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that even though he was looking for his biological father, he had a father with him already, knowing that family ties sometimes transcend those of biology.

Jack sighed and sat down on the foot of the kid's bed, shaking his head at the sight of the boy genius out for the count. It was obvious Mac's recovery was going to take some time, and then the added pressure of his quest to find his father was going to make things even harder. He did not like it one bit, but he was not going to give up on his boy now, or ever. "Sleep son", he whispered, patting Mac on the leg softly, I will be right here when you need me. Jack then stood, turned the light off and leaving the door ajar enough to where he could hear if Mac called him. Jack then went back to the deck to clean up the mess left behind by Mac's projector; always willing to help his boy get things done.


End file.
